Source: New York Times
The International Criminal Court said on Thursday, November 21, 2024, that it had issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, dealing a sharp blow to Israel’s global legitimacy as it battles militants on multiple fronts.
The court on Thursday also said it had issued a warrant for the arrest of Muhammad Deif, Hamas’s military chief, for crimes against humanity, including murder, hostage taking and sexual violence. Israel said in August that it had killed Mr. Deif.
Just two weeks ago, Netanyahu fired Gallant over differences on strategy for the Gaza war, a move that set off protests across Israel. Gallant had been pushing for an immediate cease-fire deal in Gaza that would secure the release of hostages held there. His dismissal removed the main proponent in the Israeli government for such an agreement.
The court’s chief prosecutor had requested the warrants in May, prompting Israel to fiercely reject the allegations and challenge the court’s legitimacy. The warrants issued Thursday include accusations of using of starvation as a weapon of war and “intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population.”
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Mr. Netanyahu’s office swiftly rejected what it called “absurd and false accusations,” insisting in a statement on Thursday that Israel would continue to defend its citizens by fighting in Gaza. The Israeli leader “will not surrender to the pressures; he will not recoil or withdraw until all of the war’s goals — that were set at the start of the battle — are achieved,” Mr. Netanyahu’s office said.
Israel is not a member of the court, so Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant, whom the prime minister recently fired, will not face any risk of arrest at home. But the warrants mean that they could be arrested if they travel to one of the court’s 124 member nations. That includes most European countries, though not the United States, and could contribute to Mr. Netanyahu’s isolation.
